Novo Nordisk launches Awiqli, world's first once-weekly basal insulin, in India

Exam-focused facts from the 10 July 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Novo Nordisk launched Awiqli (generic name: insulin icodec) in India on July 9, 2026, as the world's first once-weekly basal insulin approved for clinical use.
The therapy reduces the annual injection requirement for patients from 365 to 52.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research-India Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) study, over 101 million people in India live with diabetes and 136 million have prediabetes.
The drug is supported by the global ONWARDS Phase 3 clinical programme, which involved more than 4,000 adults worldwide, including participants from India.
Awiqli is priced at ₹261 per week in India, and the country is the seventh market globally to receive this therapy.